Free
by Wandering outlaw
Summary: Sometimes it's not about saving a abbey, sometimes, it's not about finding some treasure, sometimes, it's about doing with what you were born to do. Song is still alive Lisa Miskovsky


A squrrielmaid named Tiana and her best friend Matthew the mouse were doing what they loved to do, neither fight nor wander. What they loved to to do, was something only hares could understand, and even then, they would have trouble comprehending

They were running, or as some would call it, gliding across the ground. Only returning to the earth when their paws touched the ground, and leaving just as quickly.

_You have changed_

_I have changed_

_Just like you_

_Just like you_

Even when moving at such a rate, she thought back to when they first met as dibbuns. Matthew was boasting that he was the fastest creature alive, she had proclaimed that she was the fastest. Needless to say, they argued and challenged each other to a race. From one end of the abbey to the next. Young and fill of energy, the two went as fast as their tiny legs could allow. They had knocked over a good deal of abbey dwellers and had accidentally broken some very fancy looking vases and other items of the sort. They got a stern talking to from the abbot, but from that day onward, they were inseparable. A wonderful friendship powered by rivalry to be the best.

_For how long_

_For how long_

_Must I wait_

_I know there's something wrong_

When they were younger, around their teens, Tiana had found Matthew staring out into the woodlands, not doing anything but looking on with longing. As though he wanted to go beyond the redstone walls with all his heart. She couldn't blame him. After all, Redwall abbey was their home, but they knew nought of what went on outside the great doors.

_Your concrete heart isn't beating_

_And you tried to_

_Make it come alive_

Then one day, she had found him practicing as he called it. Matthew was doing push ups, curl ups, jumping onto beds, and sometimes pushing, for lack of a better term, up and over tables. It wasn't long before she was convinced to do some of this herself. She was naturally better then him at the climbing and jumping gracefully, as most squirrels were. But he was better at going at it longer then she was, and had to use shorter, but nevertheless effective movements. And such, two styles were born. One was rough and straightforward, the other was poetry in motion.

_No shadows_

_Just red lights_

_Now I'm here to rescue you_

They continued their practices until one day she had suggested they race to the top of the gatehouse, it wasn't that far of a climb after all. A natural dare devil, Matthew agreed, under the pretense that should one get into trouble, the other would immediately help.

_Oh I'm still alive_

_I'm still alive_

_I can't apologise no_

She had won, of course. There was no doubt about it, but that didn't stop Matthew from trying with every bit of strength he could muster. It was actually pretty close, but Tiana insisted that he was behind by a mile. Which had only served as fuel to his fire.

_Oh I'm still alive_

_I'm still alive_

_I can't apologise no_

_So silent_

_No violence_

_But inside my head_

_So loud and clear_

Now full grown abbey dwellers, they could move faster, and better, then anyone else in the abbey. So much so that, more often then not, they would find a way to escape their stone home and fly out into the woodlands to all their hearts content. And each time they came back before sundown. They had gotten a scolding from the new Abbess of course, but that didn't stop them from doing it again.

_You're screaming_

_You're screaming_

_Cover up with a smile I've learned to fear_

The two of them were daredevils, no doubt about it. But once in awhile, one of them would get injured, from either jumping too high and not landing with a roll. Or mistiming a jump and sprain something. But some bonds are strong. And theirs was the strongest. Should either be wounded, the other would stick by them no matter what.

_Just sunshine_

_And blue sky_

_That's just how it goes_

_For living here_

Of course, the Abbey dibbuns tired to follow in their steps, and sometimes would do stupid, or dangerous things. Such as jumping off a book-shelf, or doing very poor rolls into walls, which, due to their smaller and weaker bodies, could be easily harmed. So the abbess would have her paws full trying to get the naughty little ones to calm down. Or rather, get down.

_Come fire_

_Come fire_

_Let it burn and love come racing through_

The mouse and squirrel loved each other. It was true. But this wasn't romantic love, they would never have children due to their species being so different, nor could they ever wed. But they didn't care, as long as they had the other. They were happy.

_Oh I'm still alive_

_I'm still alive_

_I can't apologise no_

_Oh I'm still alive_

_I'm still alive_

_I can't apologise no_

Vermin never bothered them. In fact, they were actually good friends with some of the ferrets, rats, and others they sometimes come across. Sometimes they would run along side the duo, but they would always slow down due to the fact they didn't have the long, hard hours of training the two had put into their lives. But they enjoyed the company nevertheless.

_Learn to lose_

_Learn to win_

_Turn my face against the wind_

Sometimes they would race the other to see who was better at running. And sometimes, Tiana won, and at other times, Matthew won. But each loss only increased their desire to be better.

_I will move fast_

_I will move slow_

_Take me where I have to go_

They had reached a small cliff over looking a flowing river. Stopping for a breath, the duo panted in long, deep breaths. But just soon as a hare could scoff, they were coming back to slower, less forced breaths.

"Look." Matthew said, pointing to fallen oak tree at a distant, and lower part of the cliff, just lying there on the ledge. The look of one willing to dare was in both of their eyes. Taking off in a sprint, the two jumped over logs, branches, and other forest obstacles. Each one showing their respective styles of running. Matthew jumped over the smaller logs,and slid under the bigger ones. Tiana was doing flips, twists, and other acrobatic movements whenever she came to low trees.

Coming to the fallen tree, the two wasted no time in running up the once great piece of nature and jumping off.

_Oh I'm still alive_

_I'm still alive_

_I can't apologise no_

Tiana could hear her heart beats in her chest as she jumped, she understood once again, why birds loved to fly so much. It was exhilarating, the freedom of your movements, the flow of energy, it was all so wonderful as she did so.

Instinctively, she tucked in her legs and shifted her weight forward, just as she had done so many times before. When she hit the ground, she came over paw over paw with ease of life long practice.

She looked around to see Matthew leaning against a tree jump with the widest smile she had ever seen on his face.

"Race you back to the abbey?" Matthew asked, readying himself.

Tiana rolled her eyes, "You're on!" And with that, they did what they were born to do.

Not simply run, nor glide, but rather, fly across the ground. They went across everything that stood in their way. Across fallen trees, across vermin, across the very earth itself. After all, it was never about simply running as fast as one could, but instead, doing what one loved. And if that meant making the entire abbey angry, well, why should that stop you?


End file.
